Sarcocornia alpini (Lag.) Castroviejo

Spice Detail In the field

Family: CHENOPODIACEAE

Genus: Sarcocornia

Sinònims: Sarcocornia perennis (Miller) A.J. Scott subsp. alpini (Lag.) Castroviejo

Catalan common name: Grossa.

Spanish common name: Sapillo. Sapina. Sosa jabonera.

Province distribution: Balearic Islands.

Distribution in the islands: Mallorca. Menorca. Ibiza. Formentera. Cabrera.

IUCN Category: DDData deficient

Life-forms: Chameophyte.

Habitats: Litoral marshes and riparian. Coastal salty soils.

Characteristics: A very entendly branched shrub that lives in salt marshes. The young branches are fleshy and articulated, with leaves so diminuative that they can hardly be seen. Flowers are very small and are grouped into threes and located upon each node of the fertile branches. Thsi species forms stems that grow close along the ground surface and form roots. This characteristic alows it to be told apart from other similar species such as Sarcocornia fruticosa i Arthrocnemum macrostachys. Flowers at the end of spring and all summer.